I heard it is out for the general public to download. Just wondering if any of you guys have updated to SP3?

http://www.microsoft.com/do...f5110&displaylang=en

I am running SP3 at home, and running it on a few testbed PCs at work. I like it.

It improves the speed of the system a bit...

I am confused. I go to the link and the only "download buttons" are for overview documentation.

A co-worker told me they put it up and took it down already?

Will this be part of the automatic updates? If so, I will just grab it then.

What gives?

There were some issues with Service Pack 3 and one of Microsoft's retail applications for sales. SP3 broke it, so MS pulled SP3.

this is the final update for XP, isnt it? once you get this on CD, you'll never need auto-update XP again?

You will need patches from MS on a regular basis. Service Pack 3 is just that, a Service Pack only. It is not an end-all cure for the ailments that XP has.

When you install SP3, it installs ALL of the fixes for XP, all the way from XP Gold to current. You do not even need to have a previous service pack installed on the system. This will bring an install with an original XP disc from way back when all the way to current.

Warning: I have had 1 system here at work that did not boot after a SP3 install. It also had a bunch of custom software on it that was written by the company. It booted up, but would not load the desktop. This may have been related to that software. A reinstall with XP and SP3 integrated resolved the issue, and the software from the company worked fine on it.

Out of 20 or so systems, that is the only one that has caused me grief.

yes, I was just under the impression that XP support was gonna get dropped soon - and that will include updates. there WILL BE a final SP - and I was wondering if this was it?

Actually, support for Windows XP is going to continue for several more years. Sales of Windows XP to OEM companies such as Dell or HP is supposed to end on June 30th. There is a very good chance that deadline will not happen at this stage.

These OEMs are using a loop hole that allows them to sell a Vista system with Windows XP installed, or at the least included with the system to be installed by the client. This is a loop hole that Microsoft left open.

If Vista does not fully catch on, then it will become another Windows ME. Keep in mind, Windows 7 is due for release in late 2009/early 2010.

XP is going to go the way of the Dodo. It is just not going to go easily. For all of the Microsoft haters in the world, screaming about the issues with XP, it is by far one of the most stable OSes out there for the mainstream public.

good. I like XP
have nothing against Vista - but Vista also has nothing to entice me to spend the $ to change.

i like xp too. it's been very stable, rarely chokes, and runs everything ive asked it to, including (unlike win2k) my old much-loved dos apps.

quote Originally posted by lurker: i like xp too. it's been very stable, rarely chokes, and runs everything ive asked it to, including (unlike win2k) my old much-loved dos apps.

ya know - thats a funny point right there: old DOS apps. funny that WinXP runs them better than even Win98 - which was built on DOS

Because Windows XP emulates DOS in a controlled environment, and is not actually DOS based.

Windows XP SP3 dies. Shortly after installation, some people can't get their machine running beyond the boot screen. Saw one this week at work that did that. I think I'll be avoiding SP3 for the time being... http://forums.microsoft.com...ID=2756697&SiteID=17

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Notice that every last one of those posts was still playing with RC releases, and not the final release.

On top of that, I did state that I have one PC that did something similar after an upgrade. A fresh install of XP with SP3 went fine though.

I run SP3 on my Macbook pro, and we have been testing it out at the shop. One thing we have found, if you have less than 512 megs of ram, it will cause all kinda of nasty issues.

SP3 doesn't add anything that home users need much. There is a new random number generator that is supposed to be more secure but it's not something you need to rush onto a machine.

1. NEVER install a new SP on anything important for at least a couple months after it come out. (XPSP3 has already been delayed because of a problem with a retail software package.)
2. ALWAYS download the full version. Don't use Windows Update for this. It does happen where you need to reinstall an SP to fix things that break later. You may not be able to get online to get it later.

Installation...

1. Download the full version. Rename it something short. XPSP3Ins.exe for example.
2. Put it on the root of C: or another drive.
3. Create a new folder with a short name on the same drive. XPSP3FUL for example.
4. Open a command window and go to C: or wherever you put the download.
5. In the command window... Type XPSP3INS /Extract:C:\XPSP3FUL

That will extract the entire update into the folder.
Burn the content of that folder to a CD and label it.

Run Update.exe from the update folder to install it from the hard disk or CD. (You can also make an Autorun.inf for the CD before you burn it pointing to this file.)

I have it running on a couple test boxes. So far not much problem.

If you follow any links for download... make certain you are getting a clean file, preferably from MS directly. MS is not releasing this to the public until they at the least sort out whatever is wrong with their Dynamics Retail products. If you aren't careful, you could get something what has been hacked.

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[This message has been edited by theogre (edited 05-02-2008).]

quote Originally posted by Wichita: I heard it is out for the general public to download. Just wondering if any of you guys have updated to SP3? http://www.microsoft.com/do...f5110&displaylang=en

Some of us haven't downgraded to XP at all